Protected Landscape “Vjosa- Narta”

PROTECTED LANDSCAPE “VJOSA- NARTA”

CONTENT DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA...... Error! Bookmark not defined. CLIMATE ………………………………………………………………………………………11 ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES …………………………………………………………………..11 HYDRIC AND ROAD NETWORK AND WATER RESOURCES……………………………16 FLORA ………………………………………………………………………………………….19 FAUNA …………………………………………………………………………………....…….23 RISKS ………………………………………………………………………………...…...... 27

I. DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA Country: Albania Region: Vlora Administrative Units:Novosela Administrative Unit and Centre Administrative Unit The Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape Area (PLA) (Category IVIUCN) is a wetland complex which lies to Vlora Region. The area itself covers an area of 19738 hectares. The altitude of the complex ranges from 0-246 m above sea level. The highest point is between the villages of Hoshtime and Llakatund.

The potentials that make Vjosa-Narta to be proclaimed as Protected Landscape in Albania are: • Vjosa-Narta is an area of international importance. Vjosa - Narta Protected Landscape is included in ecological networks: Emerald candidate Area under the Bern Convention as "Protected Landscape of wetland systemVjose - Narte" (ID AL0000008, surface: 19.412,00 hectares, "Protected Landscape of wetland system Vjose - Narte In addition, the site is known as an Important Area for Birds called "Narta Lagoon" with ID "AL005" as it meets the criteria A1, A4i, A4iii, B1i. It is known as the Key Biodiversity Area (KBA). globally named as"Vjosa - Narta (Vjose-Pishe Poro Lagoon of Narta)" with ID ALB24. The area meets Ramsar criteria for the total number of wintering water birds with more than 34 000 individuals/species (Ramsar Criteria is 20 000 individuals/species). For the three species, the area shelters more than 1% of the regional population, which is sufficient to list Vjosa-Narta as one of the most important poultry areas in Albania and the Eastern Mediterranean Region. 92 species belong to the group of valuable species. • Narta is the second largest wetland in Albania. It has a large number of species, especially wintering birds. Narta Lagoon is the second most important wintering and nesting area for waterfowl in Albania. • Vjosa-Narta harbours 26 Globally Endangered species and is thus an area, the protection of which has a worldwide interest. In addition, the complex records 189 Endangered Species in Albania, a fact that lists it in a precious area that deserves careful protection. The importance of the area is also demonstrated by the presence of 118 species protected nationally and internationally. • The Vjosa-Narta Complex is a well-known area for its unique flora and habitat diversity. All of these species constitute an important national feature of particular economic and scientific value. Some species are very rare for Albania, others have important scientific value, and a high number of species are widely used in economics as medicinal, aromatic, industrial and ornamental plants. In the protected landscape of Vjosa-Narta 114 aromatic medicinal plants have been identified. • The area is distinguished for its ecological, historical and archaeological values, habitat diversity and landscape mosaic. The valuable species and habitats make it very attractive

for the education and public awareness of school pupils, students, the general public and even decision makers. • The presence of five Natural Monuments, the Zvernec Monastery (one of the most visited areas, a very beautiful attraction for the city of Vlora) and the Treport Archaeological Site give the whole area additional cultural and eco-tourism value, making it relevant on a local and national scale. • The Vjosa-Narta area has been and currently is a research center for many scientific and educational institutions such as University of Vlora, University of Tirana, Institute of Hydraulics, Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology, Institute of Biological Research, Institute of Soil etc. The scientific fields covered by these institutions include hydraulics, hydrology, geomorphology, socio-economics and biology (zoology and botany). • This area combines a variety of conditions suitable for tourism development as a healthy climate and favorable social and economic conditions. The area is famous for its natural and cultural assets which can support numerous eco-tourism activities such as hiking (Kallenga and Managed Reservuar of Pishe-Poro/Pine-Poro), bird watching in the Narta lagoon and in Salines, cultural tourism in the historic areas of Zvernec and Treport.

Borders of PLA are the following : • North – Vjosa River up to Mifor village, • East – The line connecting the top of the hills “Mishikarta”, “Cecai”, “Cipllaku”, “Kisha”, “Mutreva” and “Babica e Vogël”, • South – The line connecting the village of Narta with village of Zvërrnec (Pusi i Mezinit/Mezini Well – Fusha e Kripores/Saline field- Pylli i Sodës/Soda Forest), • West– Adriatik Sea (Vjosë -Treporti).

PL lies in the territory of two Administrative Units: Administrative Unit Novosela in the north and Central Administrative Unit in the south and 18 villages (Zvërnec, Narta, Panaja, Oshtime, Kikovo, Bestrovo, Aliban, Poro, Novosela, Mifol, Cerkovina, Skrofotina, Fitore, Trevllazer, Akerni, Bishan, Delisuf, Dellinje) with a population of 24,000 inhabitants. The nearest town is Vlora, one of Albania's largest cities with a population of 106,000 inhabitants. Neogene and Quaternary deposits are noticed in the Pine-Poros (Vlora) area. Quaternary deposits by genesis are divided into deluvial and alluvial. Quaternary alluvial deposits cover the entire Vjosa valley. They are mainly represented by light brown subargillas with a composition of 5-15% fine sand. In depth the clays gradually change color to dark blue and contain organic debris, a fact that indicates the lagoon character of subsequent quaternary deposits. The Pishe-Poro (Vlora) area belongs to the coastal alluvial lowland region, which includes the coastal area and lowland delta river basins with areas of alluvial and marine origin. This region is divided into three sub-zones • 1.Coastal area of beaches; • 2.Open lowland of fluvio-alluvial sediments; • 3.Wetlands, lagoons, salty coastal lakes.

1. The first sub zone includes coastal areas and flat or slightly elevated dune corridors. The dominant soils are Arenosols. 2. The second sub zone includes very mild lowland or hilly areas, which are already reclaimed. Their quotas range from 0 to 50 m above sea level. The dominant soils are Fluvic Cambisols or Fluvisols, with deeply sandy texture and above all with poor structure. Natural drainage is good even during winter. 3. The third subzone includes coastal depressions that have previously been covered by the sea.

In the Pishe-Poro area (Vlora) the following types of land are observed: • Salted soils constitute ¼ of the protected area and are located directly after the dune area. A halophilic vegetation resistant to high salt concentration is prevalent in these soils. The phenomenon of salt dynamics in different months of the year is characteristic. It is noted that the salt content on the surface is inversely proportional to the amount of rainfalls. The highest salt levels are in August-October and the lowest in April and January. In summer the salts move towards the surface and form a salt bar on the surface, while in winter there is a massive rinsing of the salts. The most common herbaceous plants are saltwater (Salicornia europea), sea barley (Hordeum maritime), broom (Lemonium vulgare) etc. Among the woody plants predominate are the marine (Tamarix parviflora), willow (Salix sp.), White poplar (Populus alba) and others. • Sandy soils are concentrated along the entire coastline in the study area and sometimes in greater depths. They are unstructured or where horizonsareb missing, characteristic of other land types and the result of activity of sea waves and rivers over homogeneous deposits. • Less developed sandy soils are more prevalent in lowlands. They stay covered with water for a long time. They are characterized by sandy deposits deposited on the surface with a layer of soil or subsoil of several cm thick. In some hearths very thin clayey clusters are formed. The characteristic vegetation is that of xerophytes, with morphological and anatomical features to adapt to high summer temperatures and a substantial lack of water and mineral salts. Generally in these environments there is a rare vegetation, covering a small part of the surface. • Alluvial soils are noticed along the course of the Vjosa River and near the estuary. They are layered as a result of occasional deposits. Deposits near the riverbed are lighter in mechanical composition and are poorer in nutrients than those far away. Alluvial formations are usually characterized by two layers. In the first layer are deposited beds (similar to those of the riverbed) composed of sand, gravel and stones. In the second layer, which is above the first, subargillas and clays are laid in the form of horizontal bands, the thickness of which varies by country. Alluvial soils holds a lot of moisture especially during the winter season. They usually have little organic matter and humus (up to 2%). Subargillas and clays predominate.

• The marshy hydromorphic soils in the protected area are formed mainly under the influence of hydrological factors such as the accumulation of atmospheric precipitation waters in the lowlands, pits and river floods.

Places of interest: Narta Lagoon Narta is the main water surface of the area. Its northern part has been transformed into saline which today covers an area of about 1,500 ha. The saline and lagoons are separated by a dike of 13.8 km2. The Narta Lagoon (2 900 ha) is separated from the sea by a sandy belt, covered most of it by pine forest. The lagoon communicates with the sea through two artificial channels. The southern channel is 200 m long, 6-48 m wide and 0.2 -1.8 m deep. The northern channel ( Dalani I Madh) is 800 m long, 11-60 m wide and 0.3-0.5 m deep. The channel has a debit of 2.2–4.3 m3 / s. Both channels are often blocked due to sediment fill. The lagoon has an average depth of 1.2 m. The maximum depth reaches 2.08 m while the minimum depth is 1.08 m. Like any other lagoon here, the water regime depends on the tide. Winds have a big impact too. The south wind lowers the lagoon level by 20-25 cm while the north wind raises the level by 15-20 cm. The eastern part of the lagoon, which is slightly affected by marine waters, exhibits significant salinity fluctuations. The lagoon waters are slightly alkaline (pH 8.4-8.8). The amount of dissolved oxygen varies between 5-10 mg / l. When the amount of fresh water is low enough (especially during the summer) and when the channels of communication are blocked by fillings, an area of approximately 1000 ha dries while another portion of approximately 800 ha reaches a depth of 10 cm. This drought is quite damaging to the lagoon world

Pishë–Poro/Pine Poro Pishë-Poro, until 2004 a Managed Nature Reserve represents well-developed sand dunes (up to 6-8 m high) as well as psamophyte, hygrophyll and halophyte vegetation. The main part of the reserve is covered by pine forest. Part of the Pine-Poro sand dunes have been destroyed as a result of illegal sand extraction. Despite the above damage, the former Managed Nature Reserve is still in good condition. Degraded parts can be recuperated if appropriate interventions are made.

Kallenga The Kallenga is a shallow lagoon of 450 ha. It connects artificially to the sea via a channel that has only recently opened. It is used for fishing with nets while at channel gorge a dajlan/kind of dike has been built.

Hills of Panaja The hills of Panaja lie in the eastern and southern parts of the PL. The highest peak reaches 246 m and is located between Trevllazër and Lakatundi. The Mediterranean meadow and oak forest once typical of the area are now replaced by olive groves.

Saline It includes the former northern part of the Narta lagoon transformed into saline of the early 50's. Today's area is approximately 1500 hectares. It consists of many shallow basins inside of which there are dams and small islands that turn salts into places of great interest to nesting watefowls

Field of Akernia It lies north of the Narta Lagoon and the salines. Formerly a marshy land, today this space has been replaced by agricultural land. Until the early 1990s, the field was covered by a complete irrigation and drainage network. Subsequently, much of the irrigation and drainage network was destroyed. Much of the former agricultural land today has been abandoned or used for grazing.

Villages and Population (its distribution city and village) Demographic trends and population distribution: The Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape Area is inhabited by a population of approximately 24,000 inhabitants spread over 18 urban centers. The number of families is around 5 440, with an average of 4-5 persons per family. The average number of inhabitants in urban centers ranges from 573 inhabitants in the village of Skrofotina to 3693 inhabitants in the village of Narta.

The population density of Novosela is 108 inhabitants / km2 while for the Administrative Unit itself, the density is only 35.5 inhabitants / km2. The density in the Center Administrative Unit is 189 inhabitants / km2, while the municipality does not exceed 49 inhabitants / km2. During the 90's the average number of births per Administrative Unit was 17.4 / 1000 inhabitants while in Novosela 14.2 / 1000 inhabitants. The population growth rate during 1989-1999 is approximately 13%. The average annual growth is 360 persons per year, one of the highest rates of growth in Albania. Future trends predict a further increase in the number of households and a decrease in the number of family members. .

The year of proclamation as PA and grounds (value of PA)

Name of Protected Area :Protected Landscape Vjosa-Narta Category:Fifth Decision by which it is proclaimed:No.680, date 22.10.2004 Some of the main Vjosa-Narta environments are wetlands, agricultural lands, forests and urban areas (Table 1). Wetlands occupy 37% of the total area. The other main environment is agricultural land that occupies approximately 33% of the area. Forests constitute the third habitat and cover 6% of the territory. The central part of the PL is the Narta Lagoon, a shallow lagoon of 2 900 hectares, surrounded by hills to the south and east, farmland to the north and two small lagoons to the northwest.

The whole area is distinguished for its biodiversity of habitats and richness of flora and fauna. Most of them are precious because of their local, national or international rarity. A range of typical wetland habitats are observed in the project area: Mediterranean bushes and mosses in the hilly area, alluvial forests of the Vjosa River, sweet water aquifers in Zvernec and Panaja hills, coastal lagoons of Narta and Kallenge, salt marshes of Akernia and so on. The richness of

6 habitats also explains the presence of a high number of plants, vertebrates and pre-vertebrates such as birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and fish.

Among the many habitats that make up the protected area, it is worth noting the presence of three typical habitats for the region: (i) sand dunes (ii) Narta lagoon and (iii) Narta Saline.

• In past times, sand dunes have been widely distributed on the Albanian coast but most of them have been destroyed due to sand taking. Currently the sand dunes of the Vjosa- Narta wetland complex constitute the last remaining dunes of the Albanian coast. • Narta Lagoon is the second largest coastal lagoon in Albania. This particular habitat is well known for its great biodiversity values. • Narta salines also constitute a typical habitat, bearing in mind that no more salines exist in Albania. Although a semi-industrial habitat, salts are important for their biodiversity, especially for nesting and migratory birds.

Historical and archaeological value of the area The historical and archaeological values of the area, as mentioned above, are unique and interesting to visit and enjoy. But these values must be preserved, emphasized, and allowed access and use for visitors. Some of these values, such as the Zverneci Monastery, need rehabilitative interventions in order to restore and emphasize their values and make them more attractive to visitors.

Church of Saint Mary It is located on the island of Zvernec, in the southern part of the Narta lagoon. It is a Cultural Monument dating from the 13th century. The church is well known for its wall paintings as well as wood carvings showing flowers and various animals. The church today has been restored and used as a place of worship. Every August 15th on the island of Zvrneci is organized the feast of the year, of course of religious origin.

Triporti It is located west of the Narta Lagoon, near the village of Zvërnec. Archaeological excavations have shown that the area has ancient buildings dating from the Greco-Roman period. Triport has been an important port connecting the city with other ancient centers such as Aulona, Apollonia, Orikos and Amantia.

Spinarica. According to 12th century documents, Spinarica was one of the Mediterranean cities of the Adriatic Sea. It was in the vicinity of the Narta lagoon, at the outfall of Vjosa River. Spinarica was an important trading center especially for cereals, livestock, wool and iron. After the 15th century, the city lost its importance and is no longer mentioned in historical documents. Its ruins have not yet been discovered due to major natural and human changes in the coastal area.

Artistic, cultural, religious and landscape values Artistic and landscape value, the presence of five Natural Monuments, the Treport Archaeological Site, the aforementioned Cultural Monuments give the whole area additional cultural and eco-tourism added value, making it important locally and nationally. An important cultural event is the Narta Carnival, a cultural event that returned on 11 April 2004 after many years of secession.

Table 1.Use of territory in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape Area

Main habitats Surface (in hectare) Wetlands 10,210 Forests 1,167 Agricultural land 7,798 Urban Areas 277 Aeroport 286 Total 19,738 ha

The main subareas inside the complex are: Narta Lagoon and Salines, Former Pine-Poro Reservoir, Kallige Lagoon, Panaja Hills, and Akernia Field.

Geographical extent of PL Vjosa-Narta .

TUA

SDA

Chart 1. Map of the area of Protected Landscape Vjosa-Narta

The territory of the area of Protected Landscape Vjosa-Narta is divided in four major subareas : 1. Central Area 2. Traditional Use Area 3.Sustainable Development Area 4.Development Area

II. CLIMATE Air humidity is related to temperature. The monthly average of humidity varies from 62 - 69%, while the annual average is 66%. The main wind is sea breeze, especially visible during the summer. The winter season is generally dominated by the east wind with an average speed of 3.5 m / s. The main wind direction is the eastern one (24.4%) followed by the northeast direction. The summer is dominated by the westward sea breeze. The main direction is northwest (17.6%) and west (9.4%.) The average wind speed is 4.4 m / s and 5.2 m / s, respectively. The study area is located in the Western Lowlands of Albania and as such is characterized by the Central Mediterranean climate. The winters are generally mild, with heavy rainfall while the summers hot and dry. Rainfall mainly falls in the form of rain. Snowfalls are extremely short and of very short duration. Solar radiation as one of the major climatic factors is quite uniform throughout the area. The average annual value of solar radiation is 1540 kwh / m2. The highest value was recorded in July (216.5 kh / m2) and the lowest value in December (52.1 kh / m2). The average annual temperature ranges from 15.4 ° C in Lakatund to 16.3 ° C in Vlora. The maximum annual temperature is 30.0 ° C in July / August and the lowest in January with 4.8 ° C. Due to the limited depth, the thermal regime of the lagoon waters is similar to the air temperature. Seawater entering the lagoon has a major impact on the thermal regime, especially near the channels of communication itself. The lowest temperatures in the lagoon are recorded in December-January and the highest in July-August. The average annual temperature is 14.9 ° C. Average rainfall in the area reaches 892 mm per year. 80% of rainfall falls during the wet season (October-May) and only 20% during the dry season. The average annual evaporation value is 1173 mm (56% of it during the hot period of the year). This value indicates that evaporation is higher than rainfall, a fact that clearly indicates that the ecosystem needs water flow.

III. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Reproduction and harbour of living creatures The Vjosa-Narta wetland complex provides ideal conditions for wintering and nesting of a large number of bird species associated with aquatic environments. From winter counts it is recorded that there are about 30,000 birds in the lagoon and accommodate more than 23% of wintering water species in Albania. The high diversity of habitats and aquatic environments provide conditions for food and reproduction making it the second most important waterfowl area in our country. The highest number of wintering birds is found in the aquatic environment of the Narta Lagoon and the Saline. During the nesting season, the lagoon serves as breeding ground for 630- 830 pairs of water birds. The largest number of species are concentrated inside the Narta Saline belts, where nests such as the Vraponjesi Gushebardhe (Charadius alexandrines), Kaloresi (Himantopus himantopus) and Sqepbiza (Recurvirostra avosetta) .

Agriculture For Novosela Administrative Unit, most of the land belongs to categories VI, VII and III. Whereas in the Administrative Unit Center are dominated by categories V, VIII and IV. According to the relevant specialists, the best quality of soil generally belongs to categories 1-3. According to agricultural statistics, the largest area of land is used for the production of various forage, wheat and vegetables. These same crops also occupy the main weight in production. In recent years, the area of agricultural land used for cereals has been reduced in favor of vegetables. Part of the agricultural land has been transformed into greenhouses for tomato and cucumber production. Despite its low importance, agricultural activity suffers from the lack of an organized agricultural market, transport infrastructure, poor development of the agro-industry, lack of bank lending to farmers, poor agronomic services, etc.

Fruit production Fruit production has become an important economic activity and a valuable source of income. It relies on good soil conditions, geomorphology, climate and tradition. In the Administrative Center, fruit production accounts for 21% of agricultural production and in Novosela only 8.4%. The Administrative Center also has 118,000 olive roots that account for 60% of the total olive production in Vlora district. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in viticulture used for wine and brandy production. This area is increased annually by 8 ha in the Administrative Center and by 5-6 ha in Novosela.

Livestock Livestock is an economic activity that generates lots of income. In the Center Administrative Unit, livestock activity accounts for 34% of the income while in Novosela where activity is even more important with 57% of the income. Most of the livestock is made up of sheep, cows and goats. The number of chickens is also high. Each family has on average one cow, two sheep and several chickens for family needs. Some farmers have started breeding small farms producing meat, milk, eggs and honey. The final destination of livestock products is the domestic market as well as its own use. Like agricultural production, livestock production also suffers from a lack of an organized livestock market, lack of transport infrastructure, poor development of the agro-industry, lack of bank lending, poor veterinary services, etc. Agro- Industry The agro-industry is not well developed despite the variety and prosperity of agricultural and livestock products. Attention has already been drawn to domestic production but the lack of agricultural infrastructure and logistics remains an important obstacle. In the area are established various processing plants of various products such as cheese, olive oil, medicinal herbs, alcoholic and refreshing drinks, sausages, leather, wool etc. There is also a frog processing and trading plant in Novosela. This branch of the food industry has been operating for 30 years. During the last 10 years, the average amount of production collected is approximately 2 700 kv / year. The company employs approximately 60 seasonal workers each year. Modernization and further investment in the agro-industry is believed to turn it into a strong supporter of the tourism industry in the area and beyond. Tourism

The area combines a variety of conditions suitable for tourism development as a healthy climate and favorable social and economic conditions. Despite the growing demand for tourism, this branch is still not well developed due to a lack of infrastructure and proper urban plans. In addition, it appears that the Albanian government does not yet have a clear strategy for tourism development in the Vlora area. Recent government decisions such as oil exploration, the creation of an industrial and energy park undermine the tourist prospects of the area. Despite the aforementioned shortcomings, daily tourism in the Novosela Administrative Unit continues to be practiced. During summer weekends, the number of daily tourists reaches up to 250-270 persons. The tourist peak is reached between July 15 and August 15. Family tourism is still in its infancy. About 150 families come to the area for balnear tourism every year.

Fishing During the period 1975–1990, annual chaches was approximately 55 kg / ha (i.e. 1 590 kv / year) with a maximum of 70 kg / ha (2 023 kv / year) in 1980–87. About 30% of annual production consisted of crabs (Carcinus aestuarii). According to the latest data, the number of fishermen and catches have decreased respectively. The number of legal fishermen has dropped to 50 people, while catches in 2003 are 46 kg / ha or 1,340 kv / year. The main types of fish are shellfish (four different species), eel, sea bass, kite and atherin. The fish structure is dominated by shellfish, which has a low market value. The highest value species such as sea bass and kite make up only 25% of catches. These amounts are 2-4 times lower than in other coastal lagoons of Albania. Today fishing employs 50-100 people. Fishing areas include the Narta Lagoon, Limopuan, the old Vjosa River Spill, the Kallega Lagoon, the Vjosa River and the littoral belt. Fishing is organized in several organized fishing entities that fish either in the channels of the communication channels (2 groups with 8 and 6 fishermen each) or with different nets in the lagoon waters (10 groups licensed with 3 fishermen each). In addition to legal fishermen, there are also around 20 unlicensed fishermen who do not pay any taxes to state authorities in the lagoon. The fish is mainly sold in the restaurants of Vlora, Fier, etc. A small part goes for family consumption. Fish catches are generally considered to be scarce due to a number of human or nature-driven factors. As previously mentioned, the Narta lagoon suffers from eutrophication, which results from a lack of communication with the sea, excessive saltwater uptake, lack of fresh water, wastewater discharge, introduction of industrial organic pollutants, etc. In addition, illegal fishing is quite common. The mesh goggles are often much smaller than the norms allowed, thus leading to the catch of very small fish (size and age). Fishing also takes place in protected areas such as Shamodura, in the northwestern part of the Narta lagoon. Large fishing boats fish in marine cectins and thus destroy the fish stocks that are expected to enter the lagoon waters.

Salt Production The saline now covers an area of 1,472 ha. Salt production began in 1958. In the early years, the salts produced about 25-30,000 tonnes / year (Fig. 7) and employed approximately 250 people from the villages of the Vlora area and city. Production increased in 1970 by 70,000

13 tonnes and employed up to 800 people. In 1975, the salters launched the marketing of iodized salt with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes / year. Production peaked in 1975-1985 with a total of 140,000 tons of salt. At that time, salines employed about 1250 people..

Erosion control Although to a limited degree, erosion is a natural phenomenon in the study area, given the geological, physical characteristics and climatic conditions of the area. It is mainly observed in the hilly range which forms the eastern boundary of the project area. But erosion also emerges as a recent phenomenon driven by uncritical logging, overgrazing and fires. As such it is certainly a problem to consider in the management plan. The rehabilitation of degraded habitats would prevent erosion from becoming a common phenomenon. Maintain water quality and reduce pollution. The area is rich in water resources, especially surface water which are vital for the water supply of the area and its economic development. Although water pollution is not a problem at present, it may sooner or later be due to planned developments, especially those coming from the transport and tourism industry. Conservation of natural habitats is therefore a concern that should be emphasized by this management plan.

Grazing and livestock As mentioned above, grazing and livestock are the main economic activities of the area. In total the area has 4 100 cattle, 25 200 sheep etc. Any improvement in pasture quality and water supply for livestock would certainly increase such activity as well as its economic importance.

Forestry Forest areas are used for grazing, firewood and mowing. Wood use is not an acute problem at present. Some of the activities mentioned above need to be controlled in order to prevent further degradation of forests and shrubs.

Agricultural farms It is certain that the key economic activity in the project area is based on large areas of agricultural land and especially olive groves. Much of the agricultural land today has been abandoned due to the lack of a drainage and irrigation network. In the event of such a network being rehabilitated, agriculture may again be the area's most promising economic activity.

Arboriculture It is not very well developed despite recent initiatives, particularly in Bishan and Narta, which have increased its importance in the local economy.Nuk

Medicinal plants In the Vjosa-Narta protected landscape, 114 aromatic medicinal plants have been identified, including Alkanna tinctoria Tausch., Allium sativum L., Anethum graveolens L., Bellis perennis L., Brassica nigra (L.) Koch., Capsicum annum L., Cichorium. intybus L., Daucus

14 carota L., Dianthus caryophyllus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Matricaria camomila L., Myrtus communis L., Ocimum basilicum L., Papaver rhoeas L., Phragmites communis Trin., Portulaca oleracea L., Rosa canina L., Urtica dioica L. etc.

Contribution to climate sustainability Sand dunes, forests and wetlands have an impact on the local climate. Forests and dunes reduce the impact of wind on the interior of the complex. Wetlands serve to reduce and mitigate the stressful effects of air temperature.

Raising public awareness and education The area is distinguished for its ecological, historical and archaeological values, habitat diversity and landscape mosaic. At the same time, it provides examples of people's good and bad behavior towards nature and the wild world. The area has many opportunities for sustainable development and prosperity. The valuable species and habitats make it very attractive for the education and public awareness of school students, students, the general public and even decision makers.

Leisure and tourism activities The project area offers high potentials for tourism and leisure activities. As mentioned above tourism activities can be based on well developed infrastructure as well as accommodation services. The area is famous for its natural and cultural assets which can support numerous eco-tourism activities such as hiking ( Kallenda and Managed Reserve of Pine-Poro), bird watching in the Narta lagoon and in the Salines, cultural tourism in the historic areas of Zvernec and Treport. Unfortunately, little has been done so far to develop environmentally friendly tourism. Some of the areas used today for leisure activities are not controlled and have caused wildlife pollution and disturbance.

Researches and studies The Vjosa-Narta area has been and currently is a research center for many scientific and educational institutions such as University of Vlora, University of Tirana, Institute of Hydraulics, Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology, Institute of Biological Research, Institute of Soil etc. The scientific areas covered by these institutions include hydrics, hydrology, geomorphology, socio-economics and biology (zoology and botany)

IV. HYDRIC, ROAD NETWORK AND WATER RESOUCES

Roads to Destination: Following the Vlora-Fier National Road (Vlora-Kriporja-Narta- Hidrovori coast), or Vlora-Soda Forest-Zvernec village.

Roads The road network in Vlora district has an extension of 200 km. Its existence enables the development of tourism, although it should be noted that the quality of the road network is not very good. It is estimated that this network can reach about 4,000 cars a day during the

15 summer and about 5,000 cars during the summer weekend. Public transport between Vlora and Narta is by bus.

Water Supply The Novosela Administrative Unit as well as a part of the Central Administrative Unit (Trevllazër, Panaja, Oshimetima) are supplied by the Novosela pumping station. Water is taken from 6 wells each with a capacity of 25 l / sec. Center is supplied from the source of " Uji i Ftohte" through station Nr. 4 with a capacity of 5 l / sec. Water is provided for 24 hours. Despite the large water reserves, water supply remains problematic for Novosela. Instead of the set quota of 150 l / person, today's supply is only 90 l / person. The shortage of water supply is related to the depreciation of the water distribution network, misuse, lack of electricity, etc. Water network rehabilitation plans are already completed. These plans provide Novosela with running water in 24 hours.

Irrigation Irrigation is based on the waters of the Vjosa River as well as the reservoirs of the Panaja. The irrigation infrastructure consists of a water station at Mifol with a capacity of 4,000 l / sec. The final destination of the irrigation system is the farmland of Akernia and the fishing reservoirs at Gorrica. The surface of irrigated land today is 1 100 ha (Tab. 5). The agricultural land of the Center is supplied by Panaja's artificial reservoir with a capacity of 1.4 million m3 of water for an area of 300 hectare.

Hydrology Ground water The complex is generally poor in groundwater. These waters accumulate in shallow sandy deposits; are of low quality and volume. Often water is provided by hand-dug wells. Groundwater depth varies from 1 to 10 m. The main groundwater stream is westward to the Adriatic Sea.

Surface water: irrigation and drainage The main drainage area is the Vjosa River which flows into the Adriatic Sea and the Shushica River which is a tributary of the Vjosa River. The low hills east of the complex are linked to the northernmost extension of the Kurvelesh mountains.

a. Irrigation The entire agricultural land is covered by a dense network of irrigation chanals. But most of them are destroyed today and as a result only a small portion of the land is under irrigation. b. Drainage The area has three hydrostations and several free-flowing canals. The drainage system is malfunctioning due to duct filling, pump failure, power outages, etc. During heavy rains, large tracts of agricultural land are flooded for weeks.

V. FLORA The Vjosa-Narta Complex is a well-known area for its unique flora and habitat diversity. All of these species constitute an important national feature of particular economic and scientific value. Some species are very rare for Albania, others have important scientific value, and a high number of species are widely used in economics as medicinal, aromatic, industrial and ornamental plants.

The Vlora region harbours about 1400 orchard plants, which make up 42% of Albania's flora. The Vjosa-Narta area itself is considered to have at least 800 vegetable plants (25% of the flora of Albania) again constituting an important area for flora in Albania. The area of Pine-Poros (Vlora) is rich in flora and vegetation. This is a reflection of the appropriate physico-geographical conditions, topography, geology etc. But for this area to continue to be

19 rich vegetation must be protected and not overused. Among the plant associations identified with the respective status are: Tamarici-Calicetum purpurae (VU) Juncus maritimus-acutus (VU) Limonetum vulgare(VU) Ammophilia arenaria-Medicago marina (VU) The flora of this area is closely related to the habitats that this area contains including natural and aquatic habitats. Natural habitats consist of different types of ecological units classified in accordance with functional and descriptive criteria such as presence / absence of water, salinity and physiognomy of vegetation. While aquatic habitats consist of many sub-habitats such as semi-permanent aquatic habitats, drainage and irrigation canals, marshes, freshwater reservoirs and river beds covered by alluvial forests.

Marshs 1. Temporary marshes Temporary marshs are low depressions with no running water that dries out each year. The structure of the plants floor depends on the pressure of flooding, salinity and grazing. Salinity is usually low during the winter which is associated with numerous rainfall. Areas of low salinity are dominated by Ranunculus spp, Callitriche truncata as well as Chara spp. and Tolypella spp. In countries with higher salinity, fewer species are found which dominate the plant communities. Among them the most common are Chara canescens, Chara galioides, Ruppia maritima and Zannichellia pedunculata. During the summer, accompanied by long periods of drought, the temporary marshes are covered by Suaeda maritima, Suaeda splendens, etc. Some of the sites under grazing pressure develop communities like Scirpus spp which in a few places are replaced by Phragmites communis.

2. Permanent marshes The permanent marshes are represented by the Narta Lagoon and the Kallinge Lagoon. Their bottoms are covered by Zostera noltii and Ruppia cirrhosa. Zostera is predominant with 30- 40% of the total surface area. Both species, as well as some algae, represent the most important biocenosis of the Narta lagoon.

3. Salty marshes This habitat is widespread in the Vjosa-Narta natural ecosystems (around the Narta lagoon, south of the Vjosa River). These marshes are composed of a number of plant communities with varying degrees of salt tolerance. Some of the most common species are Salicornia spp., Arthrocnemum spp., Salsola soda, Limonium spp. As salinity declines, the species composition becomes more complex and variable. Communities are already made up of species such as Arthrocnemum fruticosum, A. perenne, A. glaucum, salicornia europea, Salsola soda, Juncus acutus, Juncus maritimus, Inula crithmoides, Limonium vulgare, Artemisia coerulescens, Halimione portucaloides etc. Irrigation and drainage channels

Irrigation and drainage channels, as well as freshwater reservoirs, harbour a complex vegetation which, depending on depth and salinity, exhibits a mix of different vegetation types commonly present in temporary and permanent marshes. Among these species the dominant halo-hygrophile vegetation represented by Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia, Scirpus lacustris, Scirpus maritimus, etc. Other types of vegetation include floating algae Lemna minor, Lemna minutes, Spyrodela polyrhiza etc.

Freshwater reservuars The vegetation of this habitat is very similar to that of irrigation and drainage channels. Reeds predominantly with Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia, Scirpus maritimus and Scirpus lacustris. Today they constitute a valuable habitat because they are almost the only source of sweet water for a range of wildlife.

Aluvial forests The vegetation of this habitat is divided into two floors. The first floor is mainly represented by reeds and other water-related species. The amount and cover of the second floor depends on the level of flooding. 1. On the first floor, the main vegetation type is represented by the Phragmitetalia Class, where the predominant association is with Phragmites australis. This association exhibits a very high ecological plasticity and extends from river banks to distances. It is found along the irrigation channels, in some drainage channels, in some parts of the Vjosa River where the current is not very strong. Lemna minor is also developed in some countries. Ecological plasticity is also emphasized by floristic composition including Typha angustifolia (most common), Lythrum salicaria, Polygonum hydropiper, Polygonum lapathifolium, Sium latifolium, Gratiola officinalis, Cladium mariscus, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Sparganum erectum etc. 2. The second floor comprises riparian forests belonging to the Alno-Populetea Class/Category and Salicetea purpurea. The main species of this category are Populus alba, Populus nigra, Salix alba, Salix purpurea, Salix amplexicaulis, Salix elaeagnos subsp. angustifolia, Alnus glutinosa, Alnus incana, Platanus orientalis, Ulmus minor, Ulmus glabra, Fraxinus angustifolia, etc. The herbaceous vegetation is generally poor. The most common species are Equisetum telmateia, Equisetum ramosissima, Prunella vulgaris etc. In some parts of the river, with strong currents and gravel substrates, the trees are replaced by shrubby species such as Salix willow associated with trees such as Platanus orientalis, Salix elaeagnos willow, Salix alba, Salix purpurea, Marina Tamarix parviflora, etc. At the bottom of the river, where the current is weaker and with sandy and clay substrate, vegetation is dominated by Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus angustifolia, Ulmus minor, Quercus robur (very scattered and very scattered individuals), Populus alba etc.

Sand Dunes Narta's wetland complex is famous for its coastal sand dunes some of which reach 6-8 meters. The sand dunes and sandy belt along the coastline are stripped of vegetation up to a length of 30 m. Fanerogame types appear first. These pioneer species include Cakile

21 maritima, Xanthium strumarium subsp. italicum, Salsola horse and typical dune species such as Ammophila arenaria subsp arundinaceae, Elymus farctus, Echinophora spinosa etc.

The pine forest The pine forest covers an area of 1,200 ha, a considerable part of the Narta area. It lies parallel to the dune system. The pines were planted 30-40 years ago to stabilize the coastline from erosion. This formation is represented by several species of pine trees where the most common are Pinus maritima, P. pinea and P. pinaster. The bush floor is represented by typical Mediterranean species such as Pistacia lentiscus, Erica manipuliflora, Myrtus communis etc. They are characteristic species of Class Quercetea ilicis, a class that covers 40-50% of the total area. Among these plant communities (sand dune vegetation and Mediterranean pine forest), there are several cultivated generations, dominated by introduced species of Acacia saligna (a large part of the belt near the Vjosa River was burned in 2003) and Agave americana (approximately 200 m to Zverneci beach).

On the other hand, on the island of Zvernec, located in the southern part of the lagoon, it is covered by the evergreen cypress forest of Cupressus sempervirens (8-10 m high trees) in association with Quercus ilex, Quercus pubescens and Pinus spp. The plant cover is quite dense, reaching up to 90-100% of the total area. The bush floor consists of species such as Myrtus communis, Pistacia lentiscus, Laurus nobilis, Rubus spp., Phillyrea angustifolia, Olea olaster, etc. The vegetation cover of this 1-2 m high floor is 50–60%. Herbaceous floor is rare and with few species such as Chrysopogon gryllus, Asparagus acutifolius, Dactylis glomerata, Desmazieria rigida etc.

On the protected landscape of Vjosa-Narta 114 aromatic medicinal plants were identified, 20% of which belong to the Compositae family, 12% belong to the Labiatae family, 9% belong to the Leguminosae family, etc .; the majority of the medicinal plants of the study area belong to the biological form terophytes with 41%, hemicryptophytes with 31%, phanerophytes with 14%, and geophytes with 10%; most of the medicinal plants of the study area belong to the geographical element of Europe. with 21%, Medit. with 18%, Asia with 16% and Cosmop with 14% and Paleotemp. with 12%. Among the medicinal aromatic plants we mention Alkanna tinctoria Tausch., Allium sativum L., Anethum graveolens L., Bellis perennis L., Brassica nigra (L.) Koch., Capsicum annum L., Cichorium intybus L., Daucus carota L., Dianthus caryophyllus L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Matricaria camomila L., Myrtus communis L., Ocimum basilicum L., Papaver rhoeas L.,Phragmites communis Trin., Portulaca oleracea L., Rosa canina L. , Urtica dioica L. etj.

Table 2. Plants at risk in Vjosa-Narta area

Taxon Risk Distribution Status Origanum vulgare EN In the Mediterranean maquis and forests Orchis sp EN The whole area Olea europea var. sylvestris VU In the Mediterranean maquis and forests

Ceratonia siliqua EN In the Mediterranean maquis and forests

About 25 species of plants or 7.5% of the total number of endangered plant species of Albania (330 species in total) meet in the wetland complex. Among them, 9 plants are endangered locally while two species are endemic to Albania.

Table 3. National and Local Endangered Species of Plants No Latin Name Endagered 1 Agrimonia eupatoria L. E 2 Ammophila arenaria (L.) Lb. E 3 Anacamptis pyramydalis (L.) Rich. E 4 Baldellia ranunculoides (L.) Parl. V, R 5 Butomus umbellatus L. V 6 Cladium mariscus (L.) Pol. V 7 Desmazeria marina (L.) Drude. E, R 8 Elymus farctus P.B. E 9 Ephedra distachya L. E, R 10 Hydrocotile vulgaris L. E 11 Hypericum perforatum L. E 12 Marsilea quadrifolia L. V, R 13 Narcissus poeticus L R 14 Nuphar lutea (L). Sibth.& Sm. V, R 15 Nymphaea alba L. V, R 16 Nymphoides peltata O.Kuntze. V, R 17 Orchis albanica Goelz & Reinhard. E, End 18 Orchis coriophora L E 19 Orchis x paparisti Goelz & Reinhard E, End 20 Origanum vulgare L. E 21 Pancratium maritimum L. E, R 22 Quercus robur L. Ex? 23 Serapias lingua L. E 24 Spiranthes spiralis Koch. E 25 Stachys maritima L. E Ex – Extinted, E –Endangered , V- Vulnerable, R – Rare. End- Endemic

Of particular interest is the presence of two endemic species: Orchis albanica and the hybrid form of Orchis x paparisti. 67 species (see Annex 5) are considered valuable in the Narta area for their economic and scientific values and interest.

VI. FAUNA

The Vjosa-Narta wetland complex is an important area for a large number of animals including insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles, mammals and especially birds. According to previous studies (Area Diagnosis Report) the wetland complex accommodates at least 749 vertebrate and pre-vertebrate species. Table 4. The animal species present in the Vjosa-Narta wetland complex

Group Species Endagered Endagered Status of No.of types

Nationaly Globaly protectio n mollusks 12 - > 32 Insects (Lepid & Coleopt) 57 1 28 > 287 Crustaceans 9 - > 61 Echinoderms 6 - > 6 Fishes 16 5 1 > 102 Amphibious 9 2 5 9 Reptiles 23 5 20 26 Poultry 43 4 52 > 194 Mamals 14 9 12 > 32 Total 189 26 118 > 749

The area is particularly important for birds, mammals as well as fish and reptiles.

Pre-vertebrates Research on pre-vertebrate types has largely relied on diagnostic studies as well as other later publications. According to previous studies, Vjosa-Narta shelters at least 390 pre-vertebrate species including: Molluscs, Butterflies, Beetles, Crustaceans and Echinoderms. The most common butterflies are Tabak, Cleopatra, Blue Butterflies etc. In addition to the drier environments of the area also record large and small orthopterans, stingrays, various ants, etc. Studies on molluscs (Beqiraj 2003) have shown that Narta is the habitat of 32 species of aquatic molluscs belonging to the Gastropoda and Bivalvia families.

Fishes Narta is an important wetland area for some fish species. Previous studies, studies that have covered the whole range of habitats (sea, brackish water and fresh water) have concluded that the area is used by at least 102 fish species. The main species of the lagoon are: Nigala (Anguilla anguilla), Kocja (Sparus aurata), Levreku (Dicentrarchus labrax), Shellfish (Mugil cephalus) and Aterines (Aterina sp.). A complete list of lagoon species is given in Annex 1.

Amphibians and Reptiles Narta shelters 9 species of amphibians and 26 species of reptiles. The most common amphibians are Rana balcanica, Hyla arborea, Triturus vulgaris etc. (Annex 2). The most commonly encountered reptiles are Natrix natrix, Elaphe quatrolineata, Malpolon monspensulanum, Testudo hermanni and others.

Birds The complex is an important area for 192 species observed to date (Annex 3) but especially for wintering and nesting water birds. The winter counts of 1995-2004 recorded 12 000 - 81 000 individuals with an average of 34 800 individuals (Fig. 4). Most winterers (about 91% of them) find refuge in lagoon waters. The most common birds are Ducks and Bajzat. During the nesting season, Narta returns to breeding grounds for 630-830 pairs of water birds. Most (about 88% of them) are concentrated in the Narta Saline.

During January 2016-2017-2018-2019, Vlora AdZM was involved in the implementation of the Winter Bird Census for the Narta Lagoon. The winter bird census has as its primary objective: - to obtain annual information on waterfowl populations in the wetlands of Albania during the non-nesting period (January) of most species, as a basis for assessing wetland areas and populations monitoring, - monitor the status and conditions of wetlands in Albania every year.

International Winter Bird Census 2016 (BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria dhe PPNEA) Narta:Total number of individuals : 10672 Species: 34 Tabela 5. International Winter Bird Census2016 Nr Species ( Latin) Specia ( Albanian) NA 1 Tachybaptus ruficollis Kredharaku i vogel 52 2 Podiceps cristatus Kredharaku i madh 24 3 Podiceps nigricollis Kredharaku gushezi 41 4 Phalacrocorax carbo Karabullaku i detit 206 5 Pelecanus crispus Pelikani kacurrel 27 6 Egretta garzetta Cafka e vogel 44 7 Ardea alba Cafka e madhe 13 8 Ardea cinerea Cafka e perhime 20 9 Phoenicopterus roseus Lejleku krahekuq 904 10 Tadorna tadorna Laroshja 1069 11 Mareca penelope Kryekuqe e madhe 75 12 Mareca strepera Rosa e perhime 18 13 Anas crecca Rosa kere 1350 14 Anas platyrhynchos Kuqla qafegjelber 706 15 Anas acuta Rosa bishtgjele 73 16 Spatula clypeata Sqepluga 73 17 Rallus aquaticus Gjeli i ujit 3 18 Gallinula chloropus Puleza e ujit 19 19 Fulica atra Bajza 2695 20 Vanellus vanellus Gicvilja 317 21 Recurvirostra avosetta Sqepbiza 150 22 Burhinus oedicnemus Gjelaci symadh 13 23 Charadrius alexandrinus Vrapsi gushebardhe 2 24 Pluvialis apricaria Gjelaci ngjyre ari 362 25 Calidris minuta Gjelaci i vogel 3 26 Calidris alpina Gjeleza gushezeze 76 27 Gallinago gallinago Shapka e ujit 2 28 Numenius arquata Kojliku i madh 2 29 Tringa totanus Qyryl. kembeqirize 170 30 Tringa nebularia Qyrylyku i madh 20 31 Croicocephalus ridibundus Puleb. e zakonshme 2018 32 Croicocephalus genei Pulebardha roze 110 33 Larus michahellis Puleb. kembeverdhe 4

34 Thalasseus sandvicensis Sterni dimerak 11 Totali 10672

International Winter Birds Census 2017 (IPA 2013 Project “Strengthening National Capacities in Nature Protection - Protection and Nature 2000”) Narta: Total number of individuals: 8665 Species: 41

Table 6.International Winter Bird Census 2017 Nr Species ( Latin) Species ( Albanian) NA 1 Podiceps cristatus Kredharaku i madh 59 2 Podiceps nigricollis Kredharaku gushezi 51 3 Phalacrocorax carbo Karabullaku i detit 997 4 Microcarbo pygmeus Karabullaku i vogel 101 5 Pelecanus crispus Pelikani kacurrel 31 6 Bubulcus ibis Cafka lopcare 1 7 Egretta garzetta Cafka e bardhe e vogel 118 8 Ardea alba Cafka e madhe e bardhe 55 9 Ardea cinerea Cafka e perhime 78 10 Platalea leucorodia Capka sqepluge 44 11 Phoenicopterus roseus Lejleku krahekuq 601 12 Tadorna tadorna Laroshja 426 13 Mareca penelope Kryekuqe e madhe 58 14 Anas crecca Rosa kere 189 15 Anas platyrhynchos Kuqla qafegjelber 314 16 Anas acuta Rosa bishtgjele 78 17 Spatula clypeata Sqepluga 118 18 Melanitta fusca Rosa e zezë krahëbardhë 5 19 Bucephala clangula Rosa me kater sy 13 20 Mergus serrator Zhytesi i mesem me callme 6 21 Rallus aquaticus Gjeli i ujit 5 22 Fulica atra Bajza 877 23 Vanellus vanellus Gicvilja 13 24 Recurvirostra avosetta Sqepbiza 30 25 Charadrius alexandrinus Vrapsi gushebardhe 13 26 Pluvialis apricaria Gjelaci pikalosh ngjyre ari 418 27 Pluvialis squatarola Gjeleza pikaloshe 28 28 Arenaria interpres Gjeleza laramane 1 29 Calidris minuta Gjelaci i vogel 3 30 Calidris alpina Gjeleza gushezeze 340 31 Numenius arquata Kojliku i madh 1 32 Tringa erythropus Qyrylyku i murrme 25 33 Tringa totanus Qyryl. kembeqirize 96 34 Tringa nebularia Qyrylyku i madh 2 35 Tringa ochropus Qyr. kembeperhime 8 36 Actitis hypoleucos Qyrylyku i vogel 2 37 Croicocephalus ridibundus Puleb. e zakonshme 3247

38 Croicocephalus genei Pulebardha roze 98 39 Larus michahellis Puleb. kembeverdhe 68 40 Larus sp. Pulbardha 40 41 Thalasseus sandvicensis Sterni dimerak 7 Totali 8665

International Winter Birds Census 2018 (IPA 2013 Project “Strengthening National Capacities in Nature Protection - Protection and Nature 2000”)

Narta: Total number of individuals : 8264 Species: 36

Table 7. International Winter Birds Census 2018 No Species ( Latin) Species ( In Albanian) NA 1 Tachybaptus ruficollis Kredharaku i vogël 3 2 Podiceps cristatus Kredharaku i madh 31 3 Podiceps nigricollis Kredharaku gushezi 40 4 Phalacrocorax carbo Karabullaku i detit 161 5 Microcarbo pygmeus Karabullaku i vogel 74 6 Pelecanus crispus Pelikani kacurrel 33 7 Egretta garzetta Cafka e bardhe e vogel 44 8 Ardea alba Cafka e madhe e bardhe 59 9 Ardea cinerea Cafka e perhime 64 10 Platalea leucorodia Capka sqepluge 39 11 Phoenicopterus roseus Lejleku krahekuq 1042 12 Tadorna tadorna Laroshja 30 13 Mareca penelope Kryekuqe e madhe 241 14 Anas crecca Rosa kere 1986 15 Anas platyrhynchos Kuqla qafegjelber 417 16 Anas acuta Rosa bishtgjele 8 17 Spatula clypeata Sqepluga 127 18 Aythya ferina Kryekuqe e mjeme 1 19 Aythya fuligula Rosa laramane me cafkë 9 20 Rallus aquaticus Gjeli i ujit 1 21 Gallinula chloropus Pulëza e ujit 2 22 Fulica atra Bajza 14 23 Vanellus vanellus Gicvilja 1667 24 Recurvirostra avosetta Sqepbiza 200 25 Charadrius alexandrinus Vrapsi gushebardhe 81 26 Pluvialis apricaria Gjelaci pikalosh ngjyre ari 21 27 Calidris alpina Gjeleza gushezeze 492 28 Philomachus pugnax Luftëtari 7 29 Numenius arquata Kojliku i madh 27 30 Tringa erythropus Qyrylyku i murrme 109 31 Tringa totanus Qyryl. kembeqirize 155

32 Tringa nebularia Qyrylyku i madh 7 33 Actitis hypoleucos Qyrylyku i vogel 3 34 Croicocephalus ridibundus Puleb. e zakonshme 473 35 Croicocephalus genei Pulebardha roze 558 36 Larus michahellis Puleb. kembeverdhe 20 Totali 8246

International Winter Birds Census 2019 (AdZM Vlora staff in collaboration with PPNEA experts) Narta: Total number of individuals: 10468 Species: 35

Tabela 8. International Winter Birds Census 2019 ( 2019 Nr Species (Latin) Species ( Albanian) NA 1 Alcedo atthis Bilbili i ujit 2 2 Anas clypeata Rosa shpatore 67 3 Anas crecca Rosa kere 1943 4 Anas penelope 504 5 Anas platyrhynchos Kuqla qafegjelber 41 6 Anas strepera Rosa e perhime 33 7 Ardea alba Cafka e madhe e bardhe 27 8 Ardea cinerea Cafka e perhime 50 9 Buteo buteo Huta 5 10 Calidris alpina Gjeleza gushezeze 4164 11 Charadrius alexandrinus Vrapsi gushebardhe 42 12 Charadrius hiaticula Vrapuesi i madhe 3 13 Circus aeruginosus Shqipja e kenetes 5 14 Egreta garzetta Cafka e bardhe e vogel 56 15 Falco tinnunculus Skifteri kthetrazi 3 16 Fulica atra Bajza 688 17 Larus michahellis Pulebardha kembeverdhe 29 18 Chroicocephalus ridibundus 340 19 Microcarbo pygmaeus Karabullaku i vogel 224 20 Pelecanus crispus Pelican 19 21 Phalacrocorax carbo Karabullaku i detit 179 22 Phoenicopterus roseus 875 23 Pluvialis apricaria Gjelaci pikalosh ngjyre ari 113 24 Pluvialis squatarola Gjeleza pikaloshe 5 25 Podiceps cristatus Kredharaku i madh 8 26 Podiceps nigricollis Kredharaku gushezi 1 27 Recurvirostra avosetta Sqepbiza 211 28 Tachybaptus ruficollis Kredharaku i vogel 10 29 Tadorna tadorna Laroshja 560 30 Tringa erythropus Qyrylyku i murrme 52 31 Tringa nebularia Qyrylyku i madh 9

32 Tringa ochropus Qyr. kembeperhime 2 33 Tringa stagnatilis Qyrylyku sqep holle 21 34 Tringa totanus Qyryl. kembeqirize 51 35 Vanellus vanellus Gicvilja 126 Total 10468

Table 9. List of Vjosa Narta Protected Landscape Birds, which directly or indirectly use abandoned or used agricultural habitats . Red Red Red List List Anne Annex List Annex Anne List of of x I-III es of of es II xes of IUC IUC of Conve Alba and III of RAM IUC N N in Birds ntion AE nian Llojet of Emer Notes SAR N for Glo Europ for WA 2013 Bern ald For Unit bal ean Migrat Conve Net Eur ed Lev Direc ing ntion work ope Eur el tive Birds ope Accipiter CR III I LC LC LC I II brevipes VU * A. g. Accipiter III I* LC LC LC I * II arrigonii gentilis only EN * A. n. Accipiter III I* LC LC LC I * II granti nisus only Acroceph alus II LC LC LC II arundinac eus Acroceph EN alus II I LC LC LC I II melanopo gon Acroceph LR alus II LC LC LC II scirpaceu s Actitis AE hypoleuc II YES LC NT LC II WA os

Aegithalo s III LC LC LC caudatus

Alcedo II I YES VU VU LC I atthis Anas II/A; AE III YES LC VU LC II acuta III/B WA Anas II/A; AE III YES LC LC LC II crecca III/B WA Anas II/A; AE platyrhyn III YES LC LC LC II III/A WA chos Anthus campestri II I LC LC LC I s

Anthus II LC LC LC spinoletta

Anthus II LC LC LC trivialis Apus III LC LC LC apus Apus LR II LC LC LC pallidus EN

* A. a. alba Ardea AE (Western II I YES LC LC LC I II* alba WA Palearctic populatio ns) only

Ardea AE VU III YES LC LC LC cinerea WA Ardeola AE EN II I YES LC LC LC I ralloides WA Arenaria AE II YES LC EN LC II interpres WA Athene II LC LC LC noctua Aythya II/A; AE III YES VU VU VU II ferina III/B WA

Aythya II/A; AE III YES LC LC LC II fuligula III/B WA Aythya II/B; AE III YES VU VU LC II marila III/B WA Aythya AE III I YES LC LC NT I I/II nyroca WA Bubulcus AE II YES LC LC LC ibis WA Bucephal AE a III YES LC LC LC II/B II WA clangula Burhinus CR oedicnem II I YES LC LC LC I II us Buteo VU III LC LC LC II buteo Calandrell a II I LC LC LC I brachyda ctyla Calidris AE II YES LC LC LC II alba WA * C. a. Calidris AE II I* YES LC LC LC I * II schinzii alpina WA only Calidris AE III YES LC LC NT II/B II canutus WA

Calidris AE II YES LC LC LC II falcinellus WA

Calidris AE ferrugine II YES VU VU NT II WA a Calidris AE II YES LC LC LC II minuta WA Calidris AE III I YES LC EN LC III/B II pugnax WA Calidris AE temminck II YES LC LC LC II WA ii Caprimul LR gus II I LC LC LC I europaeu s

Carduelis cannabin II LC LC LC a

Carduelis II LC LC LC carduelis

Carduelis II LC LC LC chloris Certhia * C. b. brachyda II I* LC LC LC I * dorothea ctyla e only

Certhia II LC LC LC familiaris

Cettia II LC LC LC II cetti Charadriu s AE II I YES LC LC LC I II alexandri WA nus

Charadriu AE II YES LC LC LC II s dubius WA

Charadriu AE s II YES LC LC LC II WA hiaticula

Chlidonia AE II I YES LC LC LC I s hybrida WA

* West Chlidonia Eurasian s AE and II I YES LC LC LC II* leucopter WA African us populatio n only

* C. n. Chlidonia AE II I YES LC LC LC I II* niger s niger WA only Ciconia AE CR II I YES LC LC LC I II ciconia WA Circaetus VU III I LC LC LC I II gallicus

Circus aeruginos III I LC LC LC I II us Circus III I NT LC LC I II cyaneus Circus macrouru III I NT EN⁰ NT I II s EN Circus III I LC LC LC I II pygargus

Cisticola III LC LC LC juncidis

Clamator glandariu II LC LC LC s

Clanga CR III I EN CR VU I I/II clanga CR Clanga III I LC LC LC I II pomarina

Columba livia III LC LC LC II/A (livia) Corvus III LC LC LC corax Corvus LC LC LC II/B cornix Cuculus III LC LC LC canorus Delichon II LC LC LC urbicum Dendroco pos II I LC LC LC I syriacus Dryobate II LC LC LC I s minor Egretta AE VU II I YES LC LC LC I garzetta WA Emberiza II LC LC LC cirlus

Emberiza melanoce II LC LC LC phala

Emberiza II LC LC LC pusilla

Emberiza schoenicl II LC LC LC us

Erithacus II LC LC LC II rubecula

Falco VU peregrinu II I LC LC LC I II s VU Falco II LC LC LC II subbuteo

Falco VU tinnuncul II LC LC LC II us Ficedula II I LC LC LC I II albicollis Ficedula hypoleuc II LC LC LC II a Ficedula semitorq II I LC LC LC I II uata Fringilla III I* LC LC LC I * coelebs

* F. a. atra (Mediterr Fulica II/A; AE anean III YES NT LC LC II* atra III/B WA and Black Sea populatio ns) only

Galerida III LC LC LC I cristata

Gallinago II/A; AE III YES LC LC LC II gallinago III/B WA

Gallinula AE III YES LC LC LC II/B chloropus WA

Garrulus glandariu LC LC LC II/B s * G. a. Gavia AE II I YES LC LC LC I II* arctica arctica WA only

* G. n. nilotica (West Gelocheli AE Eurasian don II I YES LC LC LC I II* WA and nilotica African populatio ns) only

Glareola AE nordman II I YES VU CR NT II WA ni Glareola AE pratincol II I YES LC LC LC I II WA a AE Grus grus II I YES LC LC LC I II WA Haemato pus AE III YES VU VU NT II/B ostralegu WA s Himantop EN us AE II I YES LC LC LC I II himantop WA us Hippolais II LC LC LC II icterina

Hippolais olivetoru II I LC LC LC I II m

Hippolais II LC LC LC II pallida Hirundo II LC LC LC daurica Hirundo II LC LC LC rustica

* West Eurasian Hydropro AE and gne II I YES LC NT LC I II* WA African caspia populatio ns only

* l. m. minutus Ixobrychu AE (Western II I YES LC LC LC I II* s minutus WA Palearctic populatio ns only)

Jynx II LC LC LC torquilla Lanius II I LC LC LC I collurio Lanius II LC LC LC senator

Larus AE II I YES LC LC LC I I/II audouinii WA

Larus AE III YES LC LC LC II/B canus WA Larus AE YES LC LC LC II/B fuscus WA Larus AE II I YES LC LC LC I II genei WA Larus AE melanoce II I YES LC LC LC I II WA phalus Larus AE michahell III YES LC LC LC II/B * WA is

Larus AE ridibundu III YES LC LC LC II/B WA s

Limosa AE III I YES LC LC NT III/B II lapponica WA

Limosa AE III YES VU EN NT II/B II limosa WA Luscinia megarhy II LC LC LC II nchos Luscinia II I LC LC LC I II svecica

Mareca II/A; AE III YES LC VU LC II penelope III/B WA

Mareca AE III YES LC LC LC II/A II strepera WA Melanitta AE III YES VU VU VU II/B II fusca WA Melanoco rypha II LC VU LC I calandra Mergellus AE II YES LC LC LC I II albellus WA Mergus VU AE merganse III YES LC LC LC II/B II WA r Mergus AE III YES NT VU LC II/B II serrator WA Merops EN II LC LC LC II apiaster Microcar CR bo AE II YES LC LC LC I II pygmaeu WA s Miliaria III LC LC LC calandra Motacilla II LC LC LC alba Motacilla II LC LC LC cinerea Motacilla II LC LC LC flava

Muscicap II LC LC LC II a striata

Numenius AE III YES VU VU NT II/B II arquata WA

Numenius AE III YES LC LC LC II/B II phaeopus WA

Nycticora VU x AE II YES LC LC LC I nycticora WA x

Oenanthe II LC LC LC II hispanica

Oenanthe II LC LC LC II oenanthe

Oriolus II LC LC LC oriolus Oxyura CR AE leucoceph II YES EN VU EN I I/II WA ala VU Pandion III LC LC LC I II haliaetus

Parus II LC LC LC major Passer domestic LC LC LC us Passer hispaniol III LC LC LC ensis

Passer III LC LC LC montanus

Pelecanus AE CR II YES LC LC NT I I/II crispus WA

* Pelecanus Western AE onocrotal II YES LC LC LC I I*/II* Palearctic WA us populatio ns

Phalacroc AE orax III YES LC LC LC WA carbo Phalarop AE us II YES LC LC LC I II WA lobatus Phoenico AE pterus II YES LC LC LC I II WA roseus Phoenicur us II LC LC LC II ochruros Phoenicur us II LC LC LC II phoenicur us Phyllosco pus II LC LC LC II collybita Phyllosco pus II LC LC LC II sibilatrix Phyllosco pus II LC LC LC II trochilus Pica pica LC LC LC II/B Platalea EN AE leucorodi II YES LC LC LC I II WA a EN Plegadis AE II YES LC LC LC I II falcinellus WA

Pluvialis III/B; AE III YES LC LC LC II apricaria III/B WA Pluvialis AE squatarol III YES LC LC LC II/B II WA a

Podiceps AE III YES LC LC LC cristatus WA

Podiceps AE * P. g. II YES LC LC LC II* grisegena WA grisenga

* P. n. Podiceps AE caspicus II*; III* YES LC LC LC nigricollis WA only. ** all thers

Rallus AE III YES LC LC LC II/B aquaticus WA

Recurviro AE stra II YES LC LC LC I II WA avosetta Remiz pendulinu III LC LC LC s Riparia II LC LC LC riparia Saxicola II LC LC LC II rubetra

Saxicola II LC LC LC II torquatus

Spatula II/A; AE III YES LC LC LC II clypeata III/B WA Spatula AE querqued III YES LC VU LC II/A II WA ula

* S. h. hirundo (populati ons Sterna AE II YES LC LC LC I II* breeding hirundo WA in the Western Palearctic ) only

Sternula AE II YES LC LC LC I II albifrons WA

Streptope lia III LC LC LC II/B decaocto

* S. t. Streptope III VU NT VU II/B II* turtur lia turtur only Sturnus LC LC LC II/B vulgaris

Sylvia II LC LC LC II atricapilla

Sylvia II LC LC LC II borin

Sylvia II LC LC LC II cantillans

Sylvia communi II LC LC LC II s Sylvia II LC LC LC II curruca Sylvia melanoce II LC LC LC II phala Sylvia II LC LC LC I II rueppelli Tachybap AE tus II YES LC LC LC WA ruficollis Tachymar ptis II LC LC LC melba Tadorna AE ferrugine II YES LC NT⁰ LC I II WA a Tadorna AE II YES LC LC LC II tadorna WA Thalasse * T. s. us AE II YES LC LC LC I II* sandvice sandvice WA nsis nsis only

Tringa AE erythropu III YES LC NT LC II/B II WA s Tringa AE II YES LC LC LC I II glareola WA

Tringa AE III YES LC LC LC II/B II nebularia WA

Tringa AE II YES LC LC LC II ochropus WA

Tringa AE stagnatili II YES LC EN LC II WA s Tringa AE III YES LC VU LC II/B II totanus WA Troglodyt * T. t. es II LC LC LC I * fridariens troglodyt is only es Turdus III LC LC LC II/B merula VU Tyto alba II LC LC LC

Upupa VU II LC LC LC epops Vanellus AE III YES VU VU NT II/B II vanellus WA

Mamals The wetland complex records 32 species of mammals (Annex 4) of the 71 species observed in Albania. The mammalian community (Tab. 7) is dominated by rodents followed by nocturnal bats and carnivorous species

Table 10. Composition of mammalofauna of Vjosa-Narta area Taxa/Order No. Of species Insectivora 5 Chiroptera 8 Rodentia 9 Lagomorpha 1 Carnivora/Fissipedia 6 Artidactyla 0 Cetacea/Odontoceti 3 Pinnipedia 0 Total 32

Table 11.Globaly endangered categories No . Species Category Globaly Endagered 1 Lycaena ottomanus VU 2 3 4 Acipenser sturio Alosa fallax nilotica EN DD DD DD EN 5 6 Aphanius fasciatus Atherina boyeri Gambusia affinis 7 8 Hyla arborea Triturus cristatus LRnt LRcd 9 10 Caretta caretta Dermochelys coriacea EN CR DD LR/nt LR/nt 11 12 Elaphe situla 13 Emys orbicularis Testudo hermani 14 15 Pelecanus crispus Haliaetus albicilla LR/cd LR/nt VU VU 16 17 Aquila clanga Falco naumanni 18 19 Rhinolophus blasii Rhinolophus euryale LRnt VU LRcd 20 Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Myotis myotis LRnt LRnt 21 22 Microtus (Pitymys) felteni Microtus (Pitymys) thomasi LRnt 23 Mus spicilegus (abbotti) Lutra lutra Stenella coeruleoalba LRnt VU LRcd 24 25 26 Ex – Extincted ; CR – Critical Rist ; EN – Endangered ; VU – Vulnerable; DD – Data Deficiency ; LR/cd – Little Risk / cover dependancy ; LR/nt – Little risk / nearly threatened ;

For some of the groups (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) the data are almost complete. Other groups (especially molluscs, crustaceans, insects, echinoderms) need further study. A high number of species belong to endangered categories nationally and internationally. Vjosë-Narta houses 26 Globally Endangered Species (Tables 21 and 22) and is thus an area of conservation that has a worldwide interest. In addition, the complex records 189 Endangered Species in Albania, a fact that lists it in a precious area that deserves careful preservation. The importance of the area is also demonstrated by the presence of 118 species protected nationally and internationally. The above data clearly show that the Vjosa-Narta complex is a strong point of biodiversity in Albania. Species globaly endagerad :

1. Amphibians and Reptiles Some species are threatened nationally and internationally. It is important to mention the presence of some globally endangered species such as the Tree frog Hyla arborea, the sea turtle Caretta caretta, the earth turtle Testudo hermanni.

2. Birds Recent years data point to the Vjosa-Narta area as the second most important waterfowl area in Albania. In winter the complex accommodates more than 23% of wintering water birds in Albania. For more than 35 species the area accounts for more than 6% of the national effectiveness (Table 23). For Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber roseus, Tadorna tadorna,

Anas acuta, Bucephala clangula, Duckling Charadrius alexandrinus and the Pluvialis squatarola , Vjosa-Narta is a primary winter destination. For three nesting species: Charadrius alexandrinus, Hymantopus himantopus and Recurvirostra avosetta (Tab. 24), the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape Area is the most important site in Albania. For other species, PM occupies the second place in Albania.

International importance Vjosa-Narta is also an area of international importance. The area fulfills the Ramsar criteria for the total number of wintering water birds with more than 34 000 individuals (Ramsar Criteria is 20 000 individuals). For the three species, the area accommodates more than 1% of the regional population (Tab. 25). These data are sufficient to list Vjosa-Narta as one of the most important poultry areas in Albania and the Eastern Mediterranean Region. 92 species belong to the group of precious species (Annex 6). This fact highlights the importance of management activities in improving the socio-economic conditions of the local population

Mammals The Vjosa-Narta area is again one of the most important coastal areas for mammals. The area is home to a range of habitats used by a large number of mammals of regional, national and international importance. Four species of small mammals are distinguished here, namely two insectivores (Talpa caeca and Talpa stankovici) and two rodents (Pitymys thomasi and P. felteni), which are endemic to the western Balkans and the Mediterranean region. Four rare species are habitats or visitors to the area: Rhinolophus blasii, Myotis myotis, Mus spicilegus (abbot) and Stenella coeruleoalba. The area also houses some valuable species. At least 10 mammals, namely 2 insectivores, 4 bats, 1 species of rabbit, 2 carnivores and 1 dolphin are considered species of particular importance to the area. The importance of the area is enhanced if we assess its role in maintaining long-term survival of endangered species such as Rhinolophus euryale, Canis aureus, Lutra lutra, Meles meles and Mustela putorius. PM Vjosa-Narta is an important area for flora and especially for fauna. Narta is the second largest wetland in Albania. It comprises a large number of species, especially wintering birds. Narta Lagoon is the second most important wintering and nesting area for waterfowl in Albania.

Table 12. Rare species by different biodiversity groups in Vjosa-Narta Area Taxones Nr.of species Plants 9 Insects 30 Mollusc 10 Amphibia 3 Reptiles 17 Birds 31 Mamals 4 Total 104

About 104 species present in the area are considered rare in Albania (Tab. 26). As mentioned above, the wetland complex harbors two endemic species for Albania: Orchis albanica and Orchis x paparazzi. At least 3 species (one insecticide and two rodents) are considered endemic to the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean. Narta is also nationally known for its unique sand dunes with some reaching 6-8 m high. Such a unique habitat deserves recognition and strong conservation measures .

VII. RISKS Fire Risk This area has been threatened by fire for years, where we can mention the fire that fell during 2016 in the “Pine-Poro” Forest Economy. It turns out that an area of 555.4 ha of forest has been crossed by fire and an area of 324.3 ha of forest has been burnt.

Table 13. Crossed and burned area of properties in PL Vjosa-Narta

Property Crossed (ha) Burnt (ha) Private 161.5 162 State 393.9 162.3 Total 555.4 324.3

Floods Due to the high intensity rains that may fall in the Vlora Region there are many areas, villages and crops that can be damaged. The most affected are the areas near the Vjosa River. The flood of this river affects many agricultural and livestock farms. Due to heavy rains in recent years there has been considerable damage to crops such as field crops, field vegetables, greenhouse vegetables, viticultural fruits, etc. Damage has been caused to both the livestock and the livestock food base.

Tornado Another risk of this area has been the tornado that occurred in October 2016, which caused the fall of a significant number of pine trees. In the forest economy “ Kume –shashic” and near the forest parcels there were counted about 60 pieces of fallen pine trees with an average height of 10-12 and a diameter of 20-30 cm .

Agricultural areas that most likely to be at risk from natural disasters are :

The villages affected by the flooding of the Vjosa River are: Novoselë, Fitore, Bishan, Akërni, Aliban, Mifol, Poro, Delisuf, Dëllënjë.